1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a circuit component such as a stator for a variable resistor, which comprises a film electrical element such as a resistor film, a conductor film or the like, for example, provided on the surface of a substrate. More particularly, it relates to a method of forming the film electrical element on the surface of the substrate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A film electrical element such as a resistor film or a conductor film is provided on the surface of a substrate of resin, for example, most typically by screen printing. Namely, paste prepared for forming a resistor or conductor film is applied onto the surface of a substrate by screen printing, thereby to provide a paste film of a desired pattern, which is then dried and thereafter fired. Thus, obtained is a circuit component which comprises a resistor film and/or a conductor film of desired pattern(s) provided on the surface of a substrate.
A typical example of a circuit component is a stator for a variable resistor, which stator generally comprises an electrical insulating substrate and a resistor film provided in a C-shaped configuration, for example, on its surface. On the other hand, the variable resistor comprises, as rotor structure, a brush which is brought into contact with the resistor film to slide along the longitudinal direction of the resistor film. The resistor film provided on the substrate in the aforementioned manner is easily separated from the substrate since the resistor film is merely adhered to the substrate substantially only by physical action. Such separation of the resistor film is particularly prompted by the brush which is brought into contact with the resistor film to slide along the same. The aforementioned problem is especially serious in a small variable resistor such as a chip-type variable resistor, since a resistor film provided on the substrate of such a small variable resistor is not much adhesive to the substrate because of its small area. Thus, particularly in a variable resistor, the aforementioned problem appears as reduction in so-called rotational life, such that the resistor film is separated from the substrate upon repetitive rotation of the brush.